Wayne B. Mason

Wayne has tried headline-making cases across the country, yet he knows that most litigation is won long before trial. With more than 40 years of experience, he can deliver value far beyond the courtroom, saving clients hundreds of millions through risk evaluation, creative strategy and decisive negotiation. A testament to his success in trying a diverse array of complex matters and the national scope of his practice, Wayne has been admitted to try cases pro hac vice in over 30 states.

Wayne’s approach is built on the “Three I’s”: Integrity, Intelligence (both IQ and EQ) and Intensity. As a master storyteller, he can use narrative to make complex issues clear, engaging and — most importantly — persuasive.

Clients see Wayne as the trial lawyer they want when they need a steady hand on the tiller. His exceptional communication skills and “cut-to-the-chase” style give him a clear edge when dealing with the media and protecting his clients’ reputations and corporate brands. A quick study, regardless of the subject matter, Wayne can make the complex clear and simple for any audience.

Wayne is recognized for his advocacy gifts by, among others, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation (“Litigation Star”), Lawdragon 500, Litigation Counsel of America, American Board of Trial Advocates and Best Lawyers in America. He is listed by Chamber USA as one of only 37 of the top trial lawyers in the state of Texas (which has over 116,000 licensed lawyers). A client described him as “a great lawyer. He’s responsive and puts together the right team for the need.” (Chambers USA — Texas, Trial Lawyers, 2022). Another client described him saying, “Wayne is a multidimensional strategist who balances litigation needs and risks with a settlement strategy. He spends time so that he can understand very complicated issues and is then able to explain them to a judge and jury in a very simple, straightforward way.” (Chambers USA — Texas, Litigation: General Commercial, 2020).

Representative Experience

Wayne leads complex litigation for national and international clients, bringing a trial lawyer’s discipline and a strategist’s vision to every matter. He’s served as lead counsel on bellwether cases with industry-shaping results, including the rare distinction of trying class actions after certification.

Clients count on Wayne’s courtroom savvy and steady hand under pressure. He’s tried cases to verdict in everything from catastrophic product liability to high-stakes commercial disputes involving billions of dollars. Wayne was lead trial counsel in the nationally watched Flint Water Crisis bellwether trial in Michigan.

While trial advocacy is Wayne’s forte, his advocacy skills are sometimes utilized in other fashions than in the courtroom. For example, in the national opioid crisis litigation, he served as national settlement counsel — deploying his experience and creativity to resolve massive cases and save clients extraordinary sums.

A list of some of his engagements demonstrates this range:

• Lead trial counsel in qui tam litigation alleging False Claims Act violations
• Led the defense of one of the largest school districts in the United States
• Successful defense of shareholder and policyholder derivative matters
• Lead trial counsel in various life sciences matters
• Tried product liability case involving child suffering third-degree burns over 90% of body
• Valued strategist in corporate governance and SEC matters for Fortune 100 clients
• Successful defense of intellectual property (IP) cases
• Lead trial counsel in False Claims Act litigation in Minnesota
• Lead trial counsel in COVID-19 class action in Illinois
• Resolution of business-to-business commercial disputes by trial and negotiation
• Lead counsel in multidistrict litigation (MDL)
• Lead defense counsel in one of the largest environmental crises in U.S. history
• Secured a defense verdict in what has been reported as the largest professional liability engineering case ever tried in the United States
• Secured a very favorable jury verdict in a Mary Carter case tried for six weeks in Los Angeles
• Lead counsel in a class action tried in Missouri